Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Access for All?

Access 4 All is a movement of disability rights activists, seniors and senior groups, community leaders, Park neighbors, first responders, and workers who want Golden Gate Park to be accessible for all visitors. The Corporation of the Fine Arts Museums sponsors this site.

Was the Closure of JFK Drive Intended to Be Permanent?

No. This initiative was a temporary Emergency Order instituted while park attractions were closed under a public health order. The closure was set to expire 120 days after the City’s COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.

How Does the Closure of JFK Drive Affect People with Disabilities?

The Mayor’s Office on Disability reports that 19% of San Franciscans live with one or more disabilities. According to the CDC, the most common disability type--mobility--affects 1 in 7 adults and 2 in 5 adults age 65 and older.

Since the closure of JFK Drive, free ADA Parking has been reduced by over 50%. There are no equivalent replacements for these parking spaces. Additionally, persons with disabilities rely not only on blue zones, but also on the other close-proximity parking spaces that were previously on JFK Drive East. Over 500 free parking spaces, serving all the Park attractions along JFK Drive, would be eliminated by a permanent closure.

Why can't visitors just use the Music Concourse Parking Garage for parking?

While it has been suggested there is ample space for parking inside the Music Concourse Parking Garage, many cannot afford to pay its expensive fees. Making the garage more affordable is, unfortunately, currently a highly complicated if not impossible process that is outside of the museum’s control. Proposition J, which dictates how fees are handled, requires that any change in rates must first be recommended by the garage board, then approved by the Recreation and Parks Commission, followed by the Board of Supervisors, and finally the mayor. Those rates must be sufficient to pay down the not-insignificant public debt that was accrued during the garage’s construction. The rules do not allow the garage to offer free or discounted parking to lower-income visitors.

High rates aside, the number of spots the garage provides just isn’t enough to satisfy the demand by park visitors.
Although it is close to two museums, the garage is not within easy reach of other destinations along JFK Drive. When you’re someone with limited mobility, that extra distance makes it exceptionally challenging, if not impossible, for example to get from the garage to the Conservatory of Flowers.

Where have the lost ADA spaces been relocated?

Free ADA spaces on JFK West, MLK and other roads do not provide viable access to attractions along JFK east. Current proposals to move some ADA parking spaces to Fulton Street (part of the City’s High Injury Network), places people with disabilities at extreme risk.

How are emergency services impacted by the closure of JFK East?

JFK Drive is a key passage by first-responders to quickly respond to emergencies and transport patients to hospitals across the City. The closure has made it harder for San Francisco firefighters and paramedics to access a critical passage in emergencies when seconds can mean life or death.

What's next for JFK Drive?

The SFMTA and RPD will present a proposal to the Board of Supervisors in early 2022, the contents of which will be determined by input gathered through their public outreach process.